UNESCO/NHK Videos on Heritage This sacred site was one of the greatest Mayan centres of the Yucatán peninsula. Throughout its nearly 1,000-year history, different peoples have left their mark on the city. The Maya and Toltec vision of the world and the universe is revealed in their stone monuments and artistic works. The fusion of Mayan construction techniques with new elements from central Mexico make Chichen-Itza one of the most important examples of the ... Source: UNESCO TV / © NHK Nippon Hoso Kyokai URL: Chichen Itza Tour Official Website Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins New 7 Wonder of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site As featured in: Welcome to the Official Chichen Itza Tours website Attracting millions of visitors every year, Chichen Itza is the most important archaeological site in the Yucatan and one of UNESCO's - NEW 7th WONDERS OF THE WORLD. Yes, Chichen Itza is one of the 7 most incredible life experiences and now you are about to admire the magnificence of the Mayan Civilization monuments.

Although there are dozens of different tours and hundreds of copycats, the following 5 tours are the original "official" tours to Chichen Itza. Official tours are conducted by professional tours guides accredited by the Mexican Institute of Anthropology and History , updated yearly to showcase recent discoveries as well as unearthed new artifacts, and redesigned to keep up with new technologies that demonstrate why the Mayas are considered one of the most intriguing and advanced civilization in the history of the world. Official tours include an early arrival “beat the crowds” tour, a more personalized private full day excursion, or the VIP All Included Cultural Experience. Tours are available everyday from Cancun and Riviera Maya and all tours require advanced reservations. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact us via email at [email protected] or call us toll free at 1-888-414-0017. #1 Top Landmark in Mexico Chichen Itza Experience the best of The Maya Ruins of Chichen Itza "...[the acustic elements of] the 1,100-year-old Maya Great Ball Court at Chichen Itza, Mexico..." whispering galleries" allows visitors to hear whispers from 460 feet away.

The feature could have once allowed a king or priest to address crowds of up to 3,000 outside without a microphone..." The History Channel "The world is coming to an end on December 21, 2012! The ancient Maya made this stunning prediction more than 2,000 years ago. Journey back to the ancient city of Chichen Itza, the hub of Maya civilization deep in the heart of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, to uncover the truth about this prophecy. The Maya were legendary astronomers and timekeepers--their calendar is more accurate than our own..." Hola Amigos! Chichen Itza – World Heritage Site by maggieandlaurenhist285 Leave a comment Based on our research, we have formulated strong opinions about the fate of Chichen Itza. Chicen Itza was built by Mayan communities, taken over by Toltecs and later the Spanish, and now the Yucatán state has purchased it. However, it seems unfair that the Mayans do not have direct ownership of Chichen Itza. Especially since the land is used to glorify the Mayan culture.

If the land had been taken over and used for some other purpose, such as what the Toltecs did, actually living there are using the spaces then it would make less sense that the land be returned, because it had been conquered. However, since the site is used to exemplify the Mayan culture and draw in tourism for that reason, it seems ridiculous that the Mayans do not have access to the buildings, or partial ownership of the space. The state should truly let the Mayans run the site, because for them preservation would be more important than all else. This is their heritage, and therefore they would care a lot about protecting the spaces. It would also allow them to honor their ancestors by using the space to perform rituals. In conclusion, the Mayans should have more access to the site than they currently do. The state of Yucatán should consider giving the Mayans partial or full ownership of the site in order to give them reparations that they desperately deserve. References Breglia, Lisa C. “Keeping world heritage in the family: a genealogy of Maya labour at Chichén Itzá.” International Journal of Heritage Studies 11.5 (2005): 385-398.

Cartwright, Mark. “Chichen Itza.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., 26 Sept. 2014. Web. 03 May 2016. “Chichen Itza.” Chichen Itza. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2016. “Chichen Itza.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 03 May 2016. “Chichen Itza.” Sacred Sites. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2016 “Chichen Itza.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 03 May 2016. Dudenhoefer, David. “Dead Mayans Only, Please! Mexico Tourism Driven by Ruins, Shuns Natives.” Indian Country. Today Media Network, 13 Sept. 13. Web. 3 May 2016. Frey, Bruno S., and Paolo Pamini. “Making world heritage truly global: the culture certificate scheme.” Oxonomics 4.2 (2009): 1-9. Martí, José. Nuestra America.

Barcelona: Linkgua, 2007. Print. “Mayans Banned From Their Home, Not Allowed to Perform Rituals.” Fox News Latino. Fox News, 30 Nov. 2012. Web. Porter, Benjamin W., and Noel B. Salazar. “Heritage tourism, conflict, and the public interest: An introduction.” International journal of heritage studies 11.5 (2005): 361-370. “Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza.” – UNESCO World Heritage Centre. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2016. by maggieandlaurenhist285 Leave a comment We want this site to educate, inspire, and challenge viewers on the rich history of Chichen Itza. While we want this site to be factual for viewers, we would like to use this web page as an opportunity to take viewers one step further and push their intellectual boundaries. The question: what does Chichen Itza represent is one that is multi-faceted and requires digging into multiple layers of history through different perspectives to fully understand.

This present-day World Heritage Site now plays a fundamental role in the Mexican identity, but has not always been given the cultural appreciation it sees today. We want to challenge viewers to think about this long, tumultuous history concerning race and heritage that continues to affect Latin America today. How have tourists’ views of the site changed over time? Was the site’s induction as a UNESCO World Heritage Site objective or one that attempts to reverse a controversial past? Has preservation of this site helped or hurt Chichen Itza? Does sensationalizing a site cause the site to lose its culture? by maggieandlaurenhist285 Leave a comment Has becoming a World Heritage Site helped or hurt the integrity of Chichen Itza? Chichen Itza was essentially abandoned during the 1400s, leading to its rapid decay. Deterioration caused by the weather damaged some elements, but the advanced architecture that the Mayans and Toltec employed allow the monuments to still stand today. While it is important that the site is preserved in order to attain cultural authenticity in Mexico, it is apparent that the reason it is being preserved is not for its original intent.

For example, when the Mayan long-count calendar year ended in 2012 (the end of the world), the indigenous Maya were not permitted to enter the temple to conduct rituals. “We would like to do these ceremonies in the archaeological sites, but unfortunately they won’t let us enter,” Manrique Esquivel said. “It makes us angry, but that’s the way it is … we perform our rituals in patios, in fields, in vacant lots, wherever we can.” (Fox News). It seems ridiculous that Mayan people are not allowed to enter sites that were built by their own ancestors because they are considered “heritage sites” that need to be preserved by the government. Truthfully, should the Mayans have ownership of the sites built by their ancestors? Such an indigenous suppressing government (Mexico’s government), should not be glorifying and taking control of an indigenous site in order to gain tourism and money. The site should be used in a respectful way, and while it is useful to preserve it, it may be better preserved by those who truly care for, respect, and understand the meaning of this site.

by maggieandlaurenhist285 Leave a comment The Yucatán Peninsula was conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century. Conquistador Francisco de Montejo led the charge with his son, Francisco Montejo The Younger, attempting to establish a capital in Chichen Itza. They did not face resistance originally, but the Mayans eventually became restless and forced them to barricade themselves by cutting off their supplies from the main camps. There was then a battle which the Spanish lost, and they were all forced to leave the Yucatán peninsula in 1534. However, Montejo later returned, with Mayan reinforcements from Campeche and Champoton, and conquered the peninsula. It then became a cattle ranch. The purpose of the city was completely redefined. Authors such as Andres Bello and José Martí want to preserve the Latin American culture and are very critical of the way that Spanish culture influences Latin America. Bello argues that a local vernacular, and not the Spanish language of the Spanish, is favorable for maintaining Latin American culture. Martí argues that the only way to be successful in Latin America is to find their own natural elements of the country and avoid copying foreign models.

There is certainly a strong colonial effect present in Mexico, with the hierarchy of the Spanish born at the top, and the indigenous at the bottom. This is important in regards to Chichen Itza because the site was created by the indigenous people, and now they have no power over it. The culture is used to drum up tourism, but is not truly valued based on the fact that the indigenous are at the bottom of this hierarchy. In order to be considered to be a World Heritage Site, a place must meet the organization’s guidelines. First and foremost, the site must represent “a masterpiece of human creative genius” (WHS). Additionally, the site must “exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time within a cultural area of the world in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design” (WHS). Additionally, the site must be unique and a testament to a culture of tradition which is living or disappeared that contains “universal significance” (WHS). The “exceptional beauty” of the space should represent an ongoing ecological and biological process in the evolution of…ecosystems” (WHS). While these are important features, one must acknowledge this is a subjective category based on the committee viewing the ruins.

As examined in an earlier blog, visitors’ perspectives have changed over time. The ancient walls at one time in history were merely a cattle farm with the focus on forgetting the indigenous past in hopes of solidifying a new, pure Spanish future. If the committee deciding on Chichen Itza’s World Heritage Status met in 1550, the outcome might have yielded a different result. Many acknowledge the World Heritage’s role in helping countries preserve noteworthy sites, create national icons, and bring in large masses of tourists to the area. However, many also argue the process is highly political and subjective. When Chichen Itza became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, the world was in a precarious political situation. With the Cold War coming to an end and the truths of brutalities that swept Latin America during this time coming to light, the United Nations unquestionably may have been politically influenced to begin glorifying more of monuments in Latin America. Additionally, with more than 50% of the sites in Europe, the highly unequal distribution likely also influenced the site’s induction into this elite society (Voxeu).

While Chichen Itza indubitably fits the criteria, it is imperative that we acknowledge the role the U.N., current politics, and standards of beauty play in the selection of these sites as they pose important questions such as: How do we define beauty? How do politics influence our views? by maggieandlaurenhist285 Leave a comment Chichen Itza is a window into a diverse history that continues to evolve. From its mystical indigenous roots to the Spanish conquest, and now to the contemporary interpretation of the site, Chichen Itza has been passed down through history generation to generation. Over time, people have and continue to see the ruins differently. While history strives to be objective, the depiction of the site has evolved alongside its viewers. Since its estimated origins in 600 AD, historians have noted the cultural fusion that the site represents. With mixed architectural styles of Mayan and non-Mayan people, the site gives tourists a view into the culturally diverse population it served. The site once represented a magical and somewhat mythological time period. The chilling Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel depicts the ruler of Mayapan’s rise to power in the thriving urban center.

This world of prophecies and ceremonies is one that is etched in the ruins of Chichen Itza. Another time period that left its mark on this sacred site was the rule of the Spanish colonial system. The Spanish conquest brought a wave of changes to the sacred site. By 1598, Chichen Itza had become a cattle ranch under the Spanish. This marked a time of disregard for the indigenous legacy of Chichen Itza. This sentiment began to change with the rise of romantic literature that focused on glorifying the indigenous past and uncovering the mysteries of ruins such as Chichen Itza. Authors such as José María Heredia captured this very sentiment of wanting to return to the primitive man and his purity. This marked the beginning of a large journey towards glorifying the indigenous roots of Mexico rather than forgetting them. As seen today with the World Heritage site, Chichen Itza has now become a place where tourists come to remember the indigenous past that once resided in these ancient walls, rather than forget. While today, the ruins hold a place of significance in the world of history, one must not forget that this role was not one that has existed throughout time, but rather one that has evolved and come to be.

UNESCO World Heritage Site #277: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza UNESCO World Heritage Site #277: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza Posted: September 17, 2014 Categories: World Heritage Sites 279 From the World Heritage inscription : The town of Chichen-Itza was established during the Classic period close to two natural cavities (cenotes or chenes), which gave the town its name “At the edge of the well of the Itzaes”. The cenotes facilitated tapping the underground waters of the area. The dates for this settlement vary according to subsequent local accounts: one manuscript gives 415-35 A.D., while others mention 455 A.D. The town that grew up around the sector known as Chichen Viejo already boasted important monuments of great interest: the Nunnery, the Church, Akab Dzib, Chichan Chob, the Temple of the Panels and the Temple of the Deer. They were constructed between the 6th and the 10th centuries in the characteristic Maya style then popular both in the northern and southern areas of the Puuc hills.

The second settlement of Chichen-Itza, and the most important for historians, corresponded to the migration of Toltec warriors from the Mexican plateau towards the south during the 10th century. According to the most common version, the King of Tula, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, or Kukulkan as the Maya translated the name, reportedly took the city between 967 A.D. and 987 A.D. Following the conquest of Yucatán a new style blending the Maya and Toltec traditions developed, symbolizing the phenomenon of acculturation. Chichen-Itza is a clear illustration of this fusion. Specific examples are, in the group of buildings to the south, the Caracol, a circular stellar observatory whose spiral staircase accounts for its name, and, to the north, El Castillo (also known as the Temple of Kukulkan).

Surrounding El Castillo are terraces where the major monumental complexes were built: on the north-west are the Great Ball Court, Tzompantli or the Skull Wall, the temple known as the Jaguar Temple, and the House of Eagles; on the north-east are the Temple of the Warriors, the Group of the Thousand Columns, the Market and the Great Ball Court; on the south-west is the Tomb of the High Priest. I think Chichen Itza suffers from Citizen Kane Syndrome. Citizen Kane is the film which was ranked #1 on the Sight and Sound survey of directors, which is conducted every 10 years. As such it has been given the label of the “greatest movie ever made”. More often than not, when people see it they are disappointed because it isn’t the greatest movie they’ve ever seen. The expectations are so high that they feel let down, even if they would have otherwise thought it was a great movie. Chichen Itza was recently named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. As such, when you visit it you have very high expectations. Chichen Itza is absolutely deserving of its world heritage status.

The main pyramid is the best preserved Mayan structure I’ve seen and also the most impressive. The ball court is also the largest and most impressive I’ve seen of all the Mayan ruins I’ve visited. It is almost as if you could play there today. Given its status as one of the ‘wonders of the world’ I guess my expectations were higher than they should have been. Usually the only images you see when you read about Chichen Itza is the pyramid. In fact, when I did research before the trip, I had a hard time finding photos of anything other than the pyramid. If you take the city as a whole, I’d say it is less impressive than Tikal or maybe even nearby Tulum. That being said, it is still one of the best Mayan ruins you can visit. My suggestion for visiting isn’t to come with expectations of this being one of the greatest things in the world. It is a top notch Mayan ruin, and that is what you should expect. Getting to Chichen Itza is easy, but might take a bit of time if you are coming from Cancun or Playa Del Carmen. It is about a 2-2.5 hour drive from Cancun.

Expect to pay tolls 4 times on a round trip from Cancun. There are many guides you can hire for an hour once you are on the grounds. There are many day trip options available from Cancun if you don’t want to rent a car. Expect to pay around $100-150 for the trip. If you are a world heritage hunter, this will probably be your top attraction if you are in the region. If you just want to see Mayan ruins, Tulum and Coba are closer and are also impressive. Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza - World Heritage Site - Pictures, info and travel reports Clyde - March 2016 I visited this WHS in January 2016. I always wanted to visit Chichen Itza, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, and I chose to visit it for my 30th birthday and to celebrate my 300th WHS milestone. The absolute highlight and most famous Mayan monument is the Kukulkan Pyramid and I visited at sunset and after sunrise for the best light for photography. Sunset is still crowded when compared to other Mayan sites.

The best time for quieter visit is first thing in the morning. I parked my rental car 100 metres away from the parking lot which was still empty when I arrived. That way, I avoided the short queue of cars waiting 8 o'clock sharp for the parker to grant access to the parking lot! Instead I went straight to the ticket booth and at 08:05 I was alone in front of the magnificent Kukulkan Pyramid. Having visited the day before at sunset, I knew that the sun would be facing the other side of the pyramid opposite to the main entrance so I went straight there. I had this side for myself till around 08:25. After I took a zillion pictures I visited the other main structures worth visiting, mainly the altars, the ball court, the observatory, the little iglesia, the sculpted columns, the skull platform and the sacred cenote. By 10:30am I was back to the main entrance (I had spent hours visiting at leisure the day before!) and the queue was never-ending! The parking lot was full of coaches that practically arrive en masse after 10am.

So the bottom line is, if possible visit in the late afternoon or better still early in the morning. I visited Chichen Itza after 2 weeks of Mayan temples and I'm glad I left it for last. However, if you expect a 'jungle/forest temple experience' you might be quite disappointed as it is pretty much a 'visual experience' more than anything else. Nonetheless, it is one of the top WHS on the list and definitely visit at least once in your lifetime. - September 2015 I went to Chichen-Itza on 13.0.1.0.11 [Mayan calendar], or 7th December 2013 [Gregorian calendar]. El Castillo at Chichen Itza is one of those sites that – even if its name is not as well-known as the Statue of Liberty, the Taj Mahal or Christ the Redeemer – is instantly recognisable from films and photographs to people the world over. I was fortunate enough to be able to tag along with my Dad (an airline pilot) on a three-day trip to Cancún in Mexico over Christmas, and so we had to take the chance to pop on a bus to Chichen Itza.

On the way our bus stopped at a place called Cenote Zaci, which is a combined sinkhole, tequila museum and silver trinket shop, where we got lunch too. After the sinkhole we were driven on to Chichen Itza, where we were told to expect 50,000 other tourists. The guide was, I think, deliberately trying to lower our expectations for some reason. In the event, the site had been quite well managed, so that it did not feel particularly busy at all once inside the ancient city. I was a little skeptical about how real all of the stuff is at Chichen Itza. That is not to say that it has been wholly fabricated, but that some of the buildings and carvings look almost new, and I suspect they may have been subject to some ‘interpretive restoration’ (there are parts places with concrete all over them). Still, it is a wonderfully photogenic place, and some of the facts that sounded too good to be true really did turn out to be true. Thibault Magnien - April 2012 The ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza is located in the Yucatan peninsula.

The place was the major religious centre of the area. Experts explain the presence of the city on this place by the existence of natural wells (Cenotes) allowing the supply of water in an area where water in a scarce resource. The main elements of the site consist of the great pyramid of Kukulcan (el Castillo), the astronomic observatory (El Caracol), the field in which people were playing a ball game whose stakes were to have the honor of being sacrificed, the sacred Cenote where sacrifices were done and the one-thousand-columns building. The great pyramid, 1000 years old, is 30 meters high and has been designed to create certain effects; for example, on the north-east stairs, the clapping echo becomes a sound looking like the flight of the quetzal (local bird). The total number of steps around the pyramid is 365, which indicate a link with the solar calendar. This pre-Columbian city is a great testimony of Mayan civilization and its people's way of life several millenniums ago. Juan Velasco - August 2008 It's a transcendent experience. In 1997 we took the road from Cancun to visit this site.

The road was long but interesting with the jungle hugging up against the roadside on both sides. The road just cutting a narrow line through it. I remember it being a straight journey too, no turns or twists. You get there, you park and (then anyways) you really can't see the ruins yet. You have to walk through this trail through the jungle. The whole time you hear rustling on either side of you and you barely catch glimpses of running iguanas. It was wonderful and surreal. Finally the trail ends and the jungles opens up into a massive clearing and there is the grand complex and the huge pyramid looming before you. I will never forget it. When you climb to the top of the pyramid (as you could then) you look around and all you see is green jungle for miles around, forever. The landscape in the Yucatan peninsula is very flat so that beautiful green goes on for what seems like an eternity. Breathtaking. Definately walk the path from the pyramind to the gorgeous cenote at the other end.

As your walking it imagine your walking the same steps the priests took centuries before as they made their way to it to drop in their offerings of gold, jewels, and sometimes even a person or two as tokens of veneration to their gods. You just have to see it. Lourdes Vicente - May 2008 Amazing site on he top of the ruin. If you want to visit, avoid the months of June-August...it's very hot and lots of tourist. The culture and the history is quite amazing. Overall, it's a magical place and you should go and see it. zack culvert - March 2006 Really scary coming down the pyramid, I remember from 10 years ago. The ballcourt should not be missed, nor the acoustics of the court, where you can hear people speaking from a football field away. Chichen Itza Facts Chichen Itza Facts Chichen Itza, Mexico The Location of Chichen Itza Approximately 25 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of the city of Merida stand the ruins of Chichen Itza, the most famous of the Maya archaeological sites in the state of Yucatan.

Contrary to popular belief, the Maya were not an empire but a collection of autonomous city-states in frequent communication with other city-states in their region. Chichen Itza and numerous other important Maya temple-cities were positioned according to a regional sacred geography. The Maya practiced sacred geography on a large regional scale by the placement of their temple-cities at specific sites that mirrored the positions of various celestial objects observed in the night sky. History of the Maya Ruins at Chichen Itza Who built Chichen Itza? The Maya were an ancient civilization of southern Mexico and the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras Belize and El Salvador. Today there are an estimated 6 million Maya living in these regions and speaking a variety of Maya languages. During the first millennium AD the Maya keenly observed and mapped the movements of the sun, moon, planets and stars. These celestial objects were incorporated into a complex cosmology and mythology that explained the past and predicted the future. The Maya developed a brilliant mathematical system, the only true writing system known in the Americas, and a series of three precise and interrelating calendars.

The Maya are famous for their grand temple-cities of Chichen Itza, Palenque, Uxmal, Tikal and Copan, as well as many others. Some of these temple-cities have been excavated and reconstructed by archaeologists while many others are still in their unexcavated state. The Maya built their sophisticated and highly decorated ceremonial architecture, including temple-pyramids, palaces and observatories apparently without the use the wheel. While no physical evidence has yet been found of the Mayan use of large wheels for transportation purposes numerous toys have been discovered that do have wheels, therefore it cannot be categorically stated that the Maya did not use larger wheels. The Maya were highly skilled potters, weavers, sculptors and jewelers. They developed an extensive trade network through the jungles and along the eastern and western coasts of Yucatan and Central America. Through these trade networks they were able to obtain resources from distant areas such as obsidian from central Mexico and gold from Central America. Because no metal cutting tools have thus far been found at any of the Maya ruins it has been generally assumed that the Maya did not use such tools. However, archaeological opinion has shifted during the past few decades regarding this matter.

There are several reasons why. One is the intricacy of Maya jewelry, which would have required the smelting and mixing of different metals as well as the use of metal tools, probably bronze, for fashioning the jewelry. Even though no archaeological finds have confirmed that the Maya had bronze tools, it is highly unlikely that during the many centuries the Maya smelted copper in crucibles, they would not have discovered that adding a small amount of tin would produce hard bronze for their tools. Use of metal is also indicated by the boat-making technology of the seafaring Chontal Maya. These people, who lived in the coastal regions of northern, western and eastern Yucatan, are known to have built large canoes with which they sailed throughout the Caribbean Islands, along the Mexican coasts and to southern Florida. The precision craftsmanship evident in these canoes - known from eyewitness accounts by early Spanish explorers - could only have been done with metal cutting tools. Besides their ability to construct boats the Mayan accomplishments in mathematics and astronomy enabled them to develop a sophisticated method of celestial navigation for their overseas voyages. When was Chichen Itza built?

Proto-Mayan tribes had inhabited the flat limestone plateau that makes up much of the Yucatan peninsula for at least 8000 years. Archaeologists believe that the site where the temple-city of Chichen Itza would later be built was already an important pilgrimage place in the first millennium B.C. As a Maya social center, Chichen Itza began its rise to prominence with the arrival of a seafaring people in the eighth century. Called the Itza by archaeologists, these merchant warriors had first colonized the northern coastal areas of the Yucatan peninsula and then ventured inland. One of their first major settlement sites was in the vicinity of two large, natural sinkholes, called cenotes that provided plentiful and pure water throughout the year. Their city became known as Chichen Itza, which means "Mouth of the Well of the Itza". From this site, the Itza Maya rapidly became the rulers of much of the Yucatan peninsula. Chichen Itza rose to regional prominence towards the end of what is called the Early Classic period, or approximately 600 AD.

It was, however, towards the end of the Late Classic and into the early part of the Terminal Classic that the site became a major regional capitol, centralizing and dominating political, sociocultural, economic, and ideological life in the northern Maya lowlands. During the Central Phase of the Classic Period (625 - 800 A.D.) the arts and sciences flourished. It was at this time that Chichen-Itza became a religious center of increasing importance and many of its greatest buildings were constructed. Toward the end of the Classic Period, from 800 to 925 A.D., the foundations of this magnificent civilization weakened, and the Maya left many of their major religious centers and the rural land around them. New, smaller centers were built and the great cities like Chichen-Itza were mostly visited only to perform religious rites or bury the dead. The Itza people abandoned their city by the end of the 8th century A.D. and lived on the west coast of the peninsula for about 250 years. However, by the 10th century A.D. they returned to Chichen-Itza.

Some ethnohistoric sources claim that in about 987 a Toltec king named Quetzalcoatl left the city of Tula in central Mexico and came to Chichen Itza with a large army. With the help of local Maya allies he captured the city and made it his new capital. While some archaeology and history books still ascribe to this claim, it is now known that the Maya occupied Chichen Itza continuously. The Toltec influences found in the art and architecture of certain areas of the great city were the result of the patronage of a cosmopolitan nobility involved in trade with the Toltecs and other Mesoamerican peoples. Around 1000 A.D. the Itza allied themselves with other powerful regional tribes and this alliance was favorable to the Itza for about two centuries. During this time, the people of Chichen-Itza added to the site by constructing magnificent buildings bearing the touch of Toltec art: porches, galleries, colonnades and carvings depicting serpents, birds and Mexican gods. In 1194, the city of Mayapan broke the alliance and subdued Chichen Itza. The city was gradually abandoned.

The Maya chronicles record that in 1221 a revolt and civil war broke out, and archaeological evidence seemed to confirm that the wooden roofs of the great market and the Temple of the Warriors were burned at about this date. Chichen Itza went into decline as rulership over Yucatan shifted to Mayapan. This long-held chronology, however, has been revised in recent years. As more radiocarbon dates arise out of ongoing work at Chichen Itza, the end of this Maya capital is now being pushed back over 200 years. Archaeological data now indicates that Chichen Itza fell by around AD 1000. While Chichen Itza itself was never completely abandoned, the population declined and no major new constructions were built following its political collapse. The Sacred Cenote, however, remained a place of pilgrimage. In 1531 Spanish Conquistador Francisco de Montejo claimed Chichén Itzá and intended to make it the capital of Spanish Yucatan, but after a few months a native Maya revolt drove Montejo and his forces from the land.

The Buildings of Chichen Itza and their purposes El Castillo, the Pyramid of Kukulkan The Temple of Kukulkan, the Feathered Serpent God (also known as Quetzalcoatl to the Toltecs and Aztecs) is the largest and most important ceremonial structure at Chichen Itza. The early Spaniards called it El Castillo, meaning the Castle. The pyramid, however, bears no resemblance to a castle and was instead used for religious and astronomical observation purposes. The ninety-foot tall pyramid was built during the 11th to 13th centuries directly upon the foundations of previous temples. The architecture of the pyramid encodes precise information regarding the Mayan calendar and is directionally oriented to mark the solstices and equinoxes. Each face of the four-sided structure has a stairway with ninety-one steps, which together with the shared step of the platform at the top, add up to 365, the number of days in a year. Mesoamerican cultures periodically built larger pyramids atop older ones, and the Temple of Kukulkan is one such example. In the mid 1930s, the Mexican government sponsored an excavation into the pyramid.

After several false starts, they discovered a staircase under the north side of the pyramid. By digging from the top, they found another temple buried below the current one. Inside the temple chamber was a Chac Mool statue (The Chac-Mool depicts a human figure in a position of reclining with the head up and turned to one side, holding a tray over the stomach. The meaning of the position or the statue itself remains unknown) and a throne in the shape of jaguar, painted red with spots made of inlaid jade. After installing a set of bars and a locked gate to protect the jaguar figure they allowed tourists to come and view it, but in 2006 the tunnel leading to the temple chamber was closed to all but archaeologists. The northern stairway of the pyramid was the principal sacred path leading to the summit. At sunset on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, interplay between the sun's light and the edges of the stepped terraces on the pyramid creates a fascinating - and very brief - shadow display upon the sides of the northern stairway.

A serrated line of seven interlocking triangles gives the impression of a long tail leading downward to the stone head of the serpent Kukulkan, at the base of the stairway. Adjacent to the head of Kukulkan, a doorway leads to an interior staircase ending at the small shrine with the statue of the Chac Mool. Studies by archaeoastronomers have revealed that other structures at Chichen Itza also have significant astronomical alignments, such as the Caracol observatory, which indicates key positions of the planet Venus, particularly its southern and northern horizon extremes. The Grand Cenote Northern Yucatan is arid, and the interior has no aboveground rivers. The only sources of water are the natural sinkholes called cenotes. Some of these are small, while others are large such as the two at Chichen Itza. Of the two Chichen cenotes, the larger, the "Cenote Sagrado" or Sacred Cenote, is the more famous. According to post-Conquest sources (both Maya and Spanish), the pre-Columbian Maya threw sacrificial objects and human beings into the cenote as a form of worship to Chaac, the Maya rain god.

When archaeologists dredged the Cenote of Sacrifice, they found various types of offerings, including jade carvings, pottery, gold and silver artifacts and even human skeletons. The cenote was also considered by the Maya to be an entrance to the underworld and it is believed that the sacrificial victims were venerating Chac Mool by entering this underworld. The Caracol celestial observatory The Observatory at Chichén Itzá is called El Caracol (or snail in Spanish) because it has an interior staircase that spirals upward like a snail's shell. The first structure was probably built during the transition period of the late 9th century and consisted of a large rectangular platform with a stairway on its west side. A round tower of about 48 feet high was built atop the platform, with a solid lower body, a central portion with two circular galleries and a spiral staircase and an observation chamber on the top. Later, a circular and then a rectangular platform were added. The round, concentrically-vaulted Caracol was built and rebuilt several times during its time of use in order to calibrate its astronomical observation capacity.

The windows in the Caracol point in the cardinal and subcardinal directions and are believed to enable the tracking of the movement of Venus, the Pleiades, the sun and the moon and other celestial objects. The Ball Court Chichen Itza is also famous for its Great Ball Court with stone rings 20 feet high upon two its walls. The ball court has no vault, no discontinuity between the walls and is totally open to the sky. Each of the northern, southern and eastern sides supports temples, which were probably used for rituals on the days when the sacred games were played. Various groups in similar ball courts throughout Mesoamerica played several different ball games. The most widespread game was with a rubber ball and, according to the paintings at various sites, players used their hips to keep the ball in the air as long as possible. Points were gained when the ball was gotten through the stone rings and onto the opposing players’ part of the courtyard. There were sloping benches on the sides of the court and they were probably used to help keep the ball in play. They are carved with reliefs of the victory celebrations.

One of the scenes, the beheading of a player in center field witnessed by the players of both teams, is one of the most dramatic examples of Maya art. The scene not only illustrates the danger faced by the players but also the sacred importance of the game. At one time it was believed that the losers were destined to die but researchers have proposed new theories. Some think that the captain of the winning team was sacrificed since his team's triumph made him a fitting offering to the gods. Although played for sport and for wagers the ball game had a definite religious significance. In the Maya creation story, the Popol Vuh, the divine twin heroes play this same game for their lives against the lords of the underworld. Another fascinating though seldom discussed mystery at Chichen Itza concerns the strange acoustic anomalies observable at the great ball court and the temple of Kukulkan. Words softly whispered at one end of the great ball court (measuring 545 feet long by 225 feet wide) are clearly audible all the way at the other end and a single clap or shout sounded in the center of the ball court will produce nine distinct echoes.

Visitors have also commented on a curious acoustic phenomenon at the pyramid of Kukulkan where the sound of a hand clap is echoed back as the chirping sound of the Quetzal bird, the sacred bird associated with both the name of the pyramid and its deity Kukulkan, also known as Quetzalcoatl. Tourism at Chichen Itza Chichén Itzá entered the popular imagination in 1843 with the book Incidents of Travel in Yucatan by John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood. The book recounted Stephens’ visit to Yucatan and his tour of Maya cities, including Chichén Itzá. The book prompted several other explorations of the city, including that of Desire Charnay in 1860, Augustus Le Plongeon in 1875, Edward Thompson in 1894, and Sylvanus Morley in 1913. Fernando Barbachano Peon (a grandnephew of a former Yucatan Governor Miguel Barbachano), started Yucatán’s first official tourism business in the early 1920s.

In 1944 he purchased the entire site of Chichen Itza and constructed a hotel, which gave further impetus to the growing tourist visitation of the ruins. In 1961 and 1967 there were more expeditions to recover artifacts from the Cenote Sagrado. The first was sponsored by the National Geographic, and the second by private interests. Both projects were supervised by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). In 1972, Mexico enacted the Federal Law over Monuments and Archeological, Artistic and Historic Sites (Ley Federal Sobre Monumentos y Zonas Arqueológicas, Artísticas e Históricas) that put all the nation's pre-Columbian monuments, including those at Chichen Itza, under federal ownership. Today the ruins of Chichen Itza are federal property, and the site’s stewardship is maintained by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History. The Barbachano family, however, privately owns the land under the monuments. In the 1980s, Chichen Itza began to receive an influx of visitors on the day of the spring equinox.

At that time thousands of people come to see the light-and-shadow effect on the Temple of Kukulcan in which the feathered serpent god supposedly can be seen to crawl down the side of the pyramid. Over the past several years, INAH, which manages the site, has been closing monuments to public access. While visitors can walk around them, they can no longer climb them or go inside their chambers. The most recent was the El Castillo Temple of Kukulkan, which was closed after a San Diego, California woman fell to her death in 2006. Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the second-most visited of Mexico's archaeological sites. The archaeological site draws many visitors from the popular tourist resort of Cancún, who make a day trip on tourist buses. Maps of Chichen Itza are available at the visitor’s center next to the ruins and there is a fine sound and light show in the evenings. Group and private tour guides are also available. Chichen Itza Chichen Itza Chichen Itza which means “at the mouth of the well of Itza “, is the 2nd most visited archeological site of Mexico today.

The Kukulkan Pyramid in Chichen-Itza which known as “ El Castillo ” (the castle), is one of the new seven wonders of the world elected in 07.07.2007. It is exactly 24 m. high considering the upper platform. Apart from the Kukulkan Pyramid, in Chichen Itza there many other archaeological sites to visit, all carrying traces from Mayan Culture in many ways. Chichen-Itza, now including one of the new 7 wonders of the world; the Kukulkan Pyramid, is located in the Peninsula of Yucatan, in the Yucatan State; Mexico, between Valladolid and Merida and is just120 km from Merida. The New Seven Wonders of the World were announced on july 7th, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal after seven years of publicity and promotion.

Question: The World Heritage site Cichén Itzá is in which country?
Answer: Mexico